Running-board carrier



I. W. COPELIN.

RUNNING BOARD CARRIER.

APPLICATION men 02c. 16, 1919..

Patented July 19, 1921.

Mini 50. Cqaelz'n,

PATENT OFFICE.

ISAIAH w. cornLm, or TOLEDO, OHIO.

RUNNING-BOARD CARRIER;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 19, 1921.

Application filed December 16, 1919. Serial No. 345,227.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAIAH CoPnLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Toledo, county of Lucas, and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Running-Board Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to running board carriers for automobiles and the like, and has among its salient objects to provide, in combination with the running board of an automobile, carrier means for carrying packages, luggage and articles of all kinds, said running board being adapted to be raised to a. vertical position whereby to constitute a side wall of said carrier means; to provide such a construction and arrangement, that when the running board is down in its normal position, there is nothing to indicate that such a carrier is provided thereunder; to provide in combination with a running board, hinged to be raised, an under board or bottom, permanently secured to the supporting brackets for the running board, whereby to form the bottom of the carrier when the running board proper is raised to form the side of the carrier; to provide in combination therewith means for holding the running board firmly in its raised position, or in its down position, and thus avoid any looseness which might permit rattling or other undesirable noise.

In order to clearly explain my invention, I have shown one embodiment thereof, for purposes of illustration, on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a running board of an automobile, embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, with a part broken out;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional View thereof;

F ig- 4 is a sectional view through the running board in full lines, with said running board indicated in its raised position in light broken lines;

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing a fastenin means for holding the running board in a j usted position, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, 1-1, designates the usual running board brackets, usually of channel iron and here shown to be three in number. 'Ihese project from the chassis of the automobile and support the running board 2. Instead of securing said running board immovably to said supporting brackets 1, 1, I provide hinge means at its outer edge, whereby it can be raised to a vertical position. In the pres ent drawings, I have shown hinge members 3, adapted to fit between the sides of the channel iron brackets, 1, as indicated in Fig. 4:, with a hinge pin 4 therethrough. These hinge members are provided with lug portions 3', which engage against the inner under sides of said supporting brackets, 1, 1., when saidrunning board is raised, as indicated in Fig. 3, thus affording means for limiting the outward movement of the runningboard when it is raised, as will be understood from said Fig. 3. It will be understood, of course, that any suitable hinge means may be used and also any suitable means for holding the running board in its raised position.

Said running board, as shown, is provided with open slots, 5, Figs. 5 and 6, to receive a T-shape holding bolt or latch member, 6, yieldingly held down by means of a spring in a manner which is clear from the showing in Figs. 5 and 6.

ecured to the supporting brackets 1, 1, under said running board 2, I have provided a bottom or floor member, 8, here shown of corrugated iron, although it will be understood that any suitable material can be used for this floor or bottom, and that it can be supported in any desired manner under the running board 2. I prefer to use corrugated metal for the reason that it is not only stronger, but affords a better support for packages and articles of all kinds, and in case of rain, any water which might get into the carrier will run into the channels formed by the corrugations and will easily drain oil at the ends, or through suitable outlet holes, as 9.

Mounted under each end of the running board, 2, is an end member, 10, hingedly connected at one end, as at 11, Fig. 4, and

dicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the outer edge thereof swings down to the position indicated, thus forminga side wall extending from the bottom member 8, up a suitable distance, and with the end members, 10, 10, forms a practical carrier means for articles of all kinds.

I am aware that many changes in details can be made in my invention as here shown and described for purposes of illustration, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I do not, therefore, limit said invention to the details of construction and arrangement here shown, except as I'may be limited by the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a running-board, the major portion of which ishinged at its outer edge and capable of assuming either an upright or a horizontal position, and which is flush with the surrounding stationary portion of the running boardwhen in the latter position, in combination with a substructure forming a rigid part of the machine cooperating with the running-board when the latter is raised to form an article-carrier, and covered and concealed thereby when in its normal horizontal position.

2. A combination running-board and carrier of-the character described, comprising a running-board hingedly attached at one edge to supporting-brackets, whereby to be raised from a horizontal position to an .uprlght position, to form the sidewall of a carrier, a floor provided with drainage means secured to said supporting brackets and under said running-board, the latter when closed adapted to cover and conceal the floor and become flush with the surrounding rigid portion of the runningboard, and separate means securely holding said running-board in either of its positions, substantially as described.

3. A combination running-board and carrier of the character described, comprising a running-board hingedly attached at one edge to supporting brackets, whereby to be raised from a horizontal position to an upright position, to form the side wall oi a carrier, a floor secured to said supportingbrackets and under said running-board, the latter when closed adapted to cover and conceal the fioor and become flush with the surrounding rigid portion oi. the runningboard, and separate means securely holding said running-board in either of its positions, substantially as described.

Signed at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, and State of California, this 9th day of December, 1919.

ISAIAH \V. COPELIN. In presence of:--

W. R. LITZENBERG, H. M. BRUNDAGE. 

